When it comes to choosing the right band saw, Deane Biermeier, a carpenter, contractor, and member of The Spruce’s Home Improvement Advisory Board, suggests, “Consider the type of projects you do or how you expect to use the band saw before deciding on which one to purchase. Band saws are wonderful when they’re needed, but you may be able to get by with a less-expensive one than you thought. If you’ll only use the band saw occasionally for small projects, for example, you don’t need the biggest and best. But if you do a great deal of intricate woodwork, need to cut metal, or often cut pipes, then it’s worth it to spend more for a tool that has all the power and features you need.” We researched dozens of band saws from the best tool brands, evaluating power, ease of use, accuracy, safety features, and overall value. Our top overall pick is the WEN 3962T 10-Inch Band Saw With Stand, which stands out for its powerful and smooth performance, durable construction, and customizable sawing. Here are the best band saws. The table measures 14 inches by 12 1/2 inches in size and can be swiveled up to 45 degrees to the right for cutting bevels or other angled cuts. There are a miter gauge and adjustable rip fence to help keep your cuts as accurate as possible. And while sawing wood can be dusty, the three-in-one dust port fits a variety of vacuum hoses so you can keep the dust under control while you work. The saw also comes with a flexible work light, so you can easily angle it right where you need it. All-in-all, this is a great band saw for any DIYer or enthusiastic woodworker who wants a band saw that can handle most projects but doesn’t need the power, size, and expense of a 14-inch professional model. The work surface of this band saw measures 12 1/4 x 11 7/8 inches, and it uses any 59 1/2-inch band saw blade that’s between 1/8 and 3/8-inches thick. At 2.8 amps, the motor isn’t the most powerful, but it still has enough oomph to slice through wood and similar materials up to a depth of 3 1/2 inches, including bevel cuts from 0 to 45 degrees. The band saw comes with a 1/4-inch blade, a 2.5-inch dust port, a miter gauge for setting boards at precise angles, and a rip fence to keep your cuts straight. The saw has rubber bumpers to protect it from damage, and ergonomic, adjustable handles for comfort during long work sessions. An LED light illuminates your cut lines, and when you are finished, you can hang the saw by its hanging hook or store it in the included hard case. All in all, this is a great choice if you need a portable band saw for construction or other heavy-duty projects. Price at time of publish: $346 The work table is 14 3/4 inches by 11 3/4 inches. You can tilt the table up to 45 degrees to the right for making miter cuts or other angled work. It’s designed to reduce vibration, which can be an issue with many benchtop band saws. While not the largest benchtop band saw out there, this one is more than sufficient for the majority of DIY projects, and it has a very reasonable price, to boot. Price at time of publish: $220 The saw only takes blades that are 32 7/8-inches in length and 0.02-inches in width. That is different from benchtop band saws, which typically can use various thicknesses of blades. The maximum width of cuts you can make with this saw is 2 1/2 inches, and 2 inches when cutting pipe. There is no maximum depth of cut, as you can maneuver the saw up and down as you like. There is no speed adjustment, just on or off with a maximum speed of 570 feet per minute. The saw has a built-in LED light and a hanging hook for storage. The handles are ergonomic with a soft-grip texture that makes it easy to grasp the tool securely while cutting. The weight of the saw is around 8 pounds. Price at time of publish: $217 The 64 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch by 0.025 inch blade easily adjusts for either horizontal or vertical cutting, allowing you to tackle more complicated designs or cuts. The saw has three speeds— 78-, 108- and 180- feet per minute—for a range of options when you’re slicing through metal. It allows for cuts anywhere from 0 to 60 degrees and has a beveling vice for a sturdy grip. With this Fox Shop band saw, you get ball bearing blade guides, onboard blade tension and tilt knobs, automatic safety shut-off features, and a feed rate adjustment handle. The saw is powered by a 3/4-horsepower motor and features a two-year warranty. Price at time of publish: $600 The Rikon 10-305 Band Saw is ideal for resawing, although of course you can use it for a full range of woodworking techniques. This reliable benchtop band saw features a large 13 3/4-inch by 12 1/2-inch cast iron table, which can tilt up to 45 degrees for cutting miters and other angled cuts. The 1/3-horsepower motor gives you plenty of power, and the rip fence can be moved or removed for optimal range. The Rikon band saw also has a steel construction and a 2 1/2-inch dust port. The Rikon 10-305 can fit 1/2-inch to 1/8-inch blades that are 70 1/2 inches in length. It is a great option for all types of woodworking, and particularly good for resawing. Price at time of publish: $500 This machine has a very simple design with fewer features than the big wood-cutting band saws. This band saw can be paired with a diamond edged blade and operated at a high speed to slice through glass for use in stained glass and other projects. It also has an easy-to-use water-cooling system. This 1/3-horsepower tool is no-frills and very effective. Note that it’s only for use in cutting glass or stone, however. It is not for use in cutting wood. Price at time of publish: $492 The saw uses blades that are 44 7/8 inches long and 1/2-inch wide. It weighs 14 1/2 pounds and has an adjustable front handle to minimize fatigue during long work sessions. Note that you’ll need both hands to use this saw; this is not a one-handed tool. It does take experience to use the saw for cutting very precise, straight lines, but that’s true of all portable band saws, not just this one. Overall, this is a powerful saw with a good cut capacity for many metal-cutting projects. Price at time of publish: $100 This floor-standing band saw has a 15-inch by 15-inch sturdy and stable cutting surface that can tilt 10 degrees left and 45 degrees right, letting you tailor the tool to your needs, particularly when making delicate cuts. It has a resawing function and a full cast iron frame. This machine also has ball bearing guides, an adjustable table angle, and numerous safety features, such as a blade tracking window. It even has a storage shelf enclosed in the base. This is a great band saw that can do just about anything, but it is designed more for experienced and professional users and is priced accordingly. Price at time of publish: $1,750 Floor or freestanding band saws are large machines with attached stands or cabinets. They take up considerable floor space, but have the power and the capacity to tackle larger, harder, and thicker materials. Still, the average DIYer doesn’t need this level of performance. Benchtop band saws sit atop your workbench or table, and so require less floor space. While many are quite powerful, as a general rule, benchtop band saws aren’t quite as powerful as their freestanding counterparts. However, they are more than adequate for tackling the typical DIY project around the home. Portable band saws are usually corded, but there are now cordless models that run off batteries as well. These band saws are useful for construction sites or other job sites where you’ll be working in tight quarters, doing overhead work, or working with small materials. These saws are mostly used to cut metal, especially pipe or rebar.
Cutting Capacity
There are two numbers that make up a band saw’s cutting capacity: throat and cutting depth. Throat is a measurement of the distance from the saw blade to the vertical column of the frame. This determines the maximum width of material the tool can handle. When a manufacturer includes a measurement in the tool’s name or description, for example “18-inch,” they are referring to the throat. As a general rule, freestanding band saws have larger throats, typically over 16 inches, while benchtop tools have throats between 12 and 14 inches, although many small machines have a throat measurement of 9 or 10 inches. Cutting depth is a measurement of the distance from the band saw’s table to the upper blade guides. This is the maximum thickness of material the saw can handle. Between 6 and 12 inches is the most common range of cutting depth.
Horsepower
As a general rule, larger freestanding band saws have more powerful motors than benchtop tools. Professional or heavy-duty band saws might have as much as 2-horsepower motors, but most DIYers will find 1- to 1.5-horsepower more than adequate. The motors of benchtop or small freestanding band saws are usually somewhere between 1/2 and 1 horsepower.
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This article is edited and updated by Michelle Ullman, the tool expert for The Spruce. She has extensive experience not only in writing about all things related to the home, but also in carrying out various DIY projects, including landscaping, painting, flooring, wallpapering, furniture makeovers, and simple repairs. Band saws are also often used to cut metal. As for size, most hobbyists and DIYers find that a band saw with a 12- to 14-inch throat is sufficient for just about anything they might want to cut. When it comes to power, a saw with 1- to 1 1/2-horsepower is enough oomph for any but the most demanding materials. As a general rule, horizontal band saws are far more common in commercial shops or for industrial use and are often used to cut metal. While vertical band saws are also used commercially, smaller benchtop models are the most common type purchased by DIYers or hobbyists for use at home. For this roundup, she considered dozens of band saws, evaluating each for power, versatility, basic features, extras, and customer feedback, as well as input from Deane Biermeier, a licensed contractor, carpenter, and member of The Spruce’s Home Improvement Review Board.
